Matron Draconus
by DirectorJuno
Summary: After Ranma's fateful dip in the cursed spring, she punts the panda and storms off to vent. An hour later she responds to the warning call of a woman in distress. Rushing headlong into the fight, she gets alot more than she had bargained for.
1. A Mother's Cry

Ranma ½ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, not me. I am making no profit from this work of fanfiction, only mental relief, and personal satisfaction.

**Matron Draconus**

Chapter 01

A Mother's Cry

Bayankala Mountain Region: China

"How dare he do this to me!" A distraught red-head busies her mind with berating her non-existent companion, as she aimlessly wanders through the Chinese Amazon jungle, uncaring of her surroundings, or any inherent dangers.

"Stupid old man, always drilling me about being the best, to be a man amongst men, like my life depends on it. How dare he do this to me, rob me of the one, most important thing in my life."

Just then the girl hears a soft, motherly, voice call to her in warning, "Child, you must leave here, these animals are merciless, they will take you and make you their own. Turn back now."

The buxom young girl in a dirty white gi stops at the voices warning, her anger giving way to new thoughts, "Wait a minute, merciless animals?" she questions herself. "Hang in there, I'm coming!"

Instantly she bursts into a sprint, to the direction she's sure the voice came from. Her worrying thoughts drive her even faster, covering the near kilometer in mere moments. The red-head rounds a bend in the mountain path in time to see eight, rather large, animalistic men blasted out of a cave by a swath of eerie blue energy.

She slides to a halt when seven of them get back up, brandishing their weapons, prepared to reenter the cave. The last catches her attention, as he appears to be melting, unable to even express his own agony.

That voice calls to her again, "No child, you should not have come here, run!"

The young martial artist realizes that these seven are the aggressors, "I'm sorry lady, but my honor demands otherwise!"

The seven turn to the new arrival, and one, the leader of the pack, steps forward, "Leave now little wench, or you'll join the monster in the afterlife."

With that comment the red-head's drive to protect the weak is renewed, and fueled by her fury. "No, cowards, I'm your opponent now!" and she relaxes into a defensive stance, ready to lay down her life for honor, and the life of the victim taking refuge in the cave.

"The wounded beast can wait; first the wench must die for her transgression against the mighty Musk." With that, all seven charge the insolent fighter with the gall to disrupt their prince's order, archaic weapons ready to end her mortal existence.

Sizing up her opponents, the lone combatant decides the only advantages the seven posses are numbers, and reach with their weapons. "Ok, so I gotta get up close and personal, fast and precise strikes." She lets out a wry smile, "Just the way I like it."

In a blur of motion, the girl launches herself into her life's most challenging instance of mortal combat. Going straight for the apparent leader, her first kick breaking his weapon, a few ribs, and sending him careening, head first into the mountainside. She immediately sidesteps an overhead attack, and unleashes a powerful palm strike, shattering the shaft of his weapon. Quickly following with a low sweep, and another flat palm strike, hurling him back towards the cave entrance, where he collapses, unable to breathe.

Ducking under the next attack, she flips up, rebounds off of his outstretched weapon, and flows into an aerial roundhouse kick to his allies head, breaking his jaw and putting his back violently into a nearby tree. The lithe fighter lands on the shoulders of the one she bound from, squeezing his head between her thighs, she shifts her weight backwards, twists, and throws him into another opponent, impaling him upon his allies weapon.

Turning to the last two, she quickly unleashes a snap kick to one's left knee, breaking it backwards. Using her momentum, she vaults to his side, spins and plants her right knee in the other's nose, caving his face in. Leaping from his falling form, she turns and lands both feet on the face of the falling combatant with a broken knee. Her impact accelerates his fall back, driving the man's head into the ground. Flipping off of his prone form, she gracefully lands in a ready stance, surveying her fallen opponents.

"Hey, wasn't there another one of-" her self-questioning is cut off by a battle cry from behind, "Die!" Even with her lightning reflexes, the battle-worn martial artist turns just in time to see his thrown spear pierce her left thigh, and embed itself deeply in bone.

She reels back, unable to suppress a cry of pain, "Aaaahhh, you are so dead!" Not willing to pull it out just yet, she grips the hilt of the tip, just above the blade, and with her free hand, grabs and breaks the shaft off. Using all of her remaining strength, she brings the weapon down, impacting the side of his head. The weapon shatters, the blow cracking his head wide open, and the last enemy falls, his life draining from the massive head wound.

The exhausted warrior feels unconsciousness trying to claim her, but her indomitable willpower keeps the honor bound fighter standing, unwilling to rest until she is sure the innocent is safe.

The injured girl grips the spearhead, suppresses another scream of pain, and attempts to remove it from her leg. She fails, not having the strength left to remove the intruding piece of metal from its place in her thigh bone.

"Damnit, I'm gonna need help." Struggling to stay awake, she turns to the cave, "But first gotta make sure that lady is okay." The red-head slowly and painfully limps to the mouth of the cave, leaving a trail of blood wherever her left foot falls.

The cave is pitch-black inside, even though dawn came an hour ago. She slowly makes her way inside, supporting herself with the cave wall. About twenty yards in an eerie blue glow suddenly fills the small cave, illuminating the one she just fought on her honor to protect.

The weary martial artist stops in her uneasy tracks, first seeing the crystal blue reptilian scales adorning the creature's entire body. It's translucent, leathery wings lay unmoving, the long tail wounded and bleeding. The girl's eyes follow the creature's long neck, noting the many grievous wounds.

Last thing she sees are the creature's half-lidded, ghostly blue eyes, "Thank you child, you honor this dying dragon with your bravery."

The tired girl stares blankly, her mind unable to comprehend what her eyes are seeing. "Rest now young one, for you have earned it." And with that darkness finally wins, and she falls lifelessly to the cave floor.

Hours later, around mid-day, the silence of the cave is broken by the waking girl, "Uh, wow my head hurts." She attempts to stand, only to fall right back to the cave floor, having forgotten the spearhead, still embedded in her thigh.

"Easy child, do not move to quickly for you will aggravate your already healing wound."

The girl gets to a sitting position, and looks to the creature, the dragon that bears the voice of the woman she fought to protect. "It's really you. You're the lady that called to me?"

"Yes, I did call to you, to warn you of the danger here, but I see now that you follow the true warrior's code, and you were honor bound to come to my aide. For that I am eternally grateful."

The young warrior slowly rose to unsteady feet, eyeing the spearhead ruefully. "Tell me warrior, tell me your name."

Her confidence rises once again, "I'm Ranma Saotome, heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts."

"Spoken with pride, I like that. Come to me warrior, sit before me."

Slowly, wincing with each step, Ranma makes her way to the dragon, bows and proceeds to sit, in front of her.

The dragon reaches a shaky claw to the girl, and lays it on her leg, near the embedded weapon. "Brace yourself Ranma Saotome, this will hurt." Before Ranma can question, she leans her long neck forward, and grips the weapon with her powerful maw. One quick jerk later and the offending article is removed and dropped near the young warrior. Ranma barely manages to control another painful outburst.

"Now tear your clothing away from the wound." Ranma looks at the creature, confused for just a moment, and then does as she is told. The dragon then licks the wound clean; much like a mother would do for her cubs.

"Quickly now, go retrieve a fur from a fallen warrior." Again Ranma hesitates, and then gradually makes her way back to daylight.

Outside she cringes at the sight of the seven corpses, seven people she killed with her own hands.

Shortly she returns with the tiger fur from the leader, "I, killed all of them." She pauses, obviously shaken by this, "I've never killed before." She sits in front of the great serpent once again.

"Such is the life of a true warrior Ranma Saotome, but it warms my heart to see you feel remorse, even for the death of your enemies. Ranma Saotome, you bear the heart of a dragon, now dress your wound and listen to what I have to say."

Ranma begins to take care of her leg, never taking her attention from the dragon.

"Honorable warrior Ranma Saotome, I have a great responsibility to ask of you, and I pray that you accept the final wish of this dying mother." The dragon moves a front claw, revealing a small whelp, barely the size of a small housecat. The sight of the little one causes Ranma to lose her stoic demeanor, and shed a silent tear.

"She is my last surviving kin, and I humbly request that you take her, as your own daughter, and raise her to follow your warrior's code of honor."

Ranma is flabbergasted by this, unable to respond for many silent moments. "I am honored that you would ask this of me, but I am not worth to parent a great dragon."

Another tear is shed for the young, the baby that will never know her own mother. "Nonsense, earlier this day you demonstrated that you are more worthy than even I am, to be this child's mother."

Ranma's demeanor fails yet again, "I'm sorry, I couldn't be her mother, I'm not even really a girl."

The dragon smiles lightly, "Come now child, I know of Jusenkyo, I can clearly see your dual nature, you are all the parent this little one would ever need."

"I wouldn't know the first thing of how to raise a dragon. I feel I would make too many mistakes."

"Ranma Saotome, you already sound like a mother, we all make many mistakes with our first born. This brings me to my next request, Take her to Jusenkyo, and carry her into the very same spring you fell into, make her human."

Ranma seems to contemplate this for a long while, having finished dressing her leg wound, she sits, lost in thought for many long, quiet minutes, before she finally stands. "Please honored great dragon, tell me your name."

"To humans, I am simply known as Krynn."

Ranma bows, "Very well then, Honorable Krynn, I humbly accept your request to take your kin as my own."

Krynn smiles happily knowing that her little girl now has a future.

Ranma continues, "And I vow on my families honor, that she will have a good life, and she will follow the true warrior's code of honor, this I swear to."

"Thank you Ranma Saotome, for now I can die in peace."

Ranma kneels before Krynn, and carefully takes the sleeping whelp into her arms, and hugs her to her bosom.

"Things you must know, she will grow fast, and do not hide her heritage from her, only tell those you deem truly trustworthy."

"I understand great mother."

"Return to me after the moon has risen, and take from my body all that you can, use me to protect and nourish both of you." Ranma pauses, only vaguely understanding her meaning. "Come, stand before me warrior."

Ranma stands tall, cradling the infant dragon, her mind racing with thoughts of the future.

"Take my blessing, with this no one who sees aura will ever question your parentage of my young."

Ranma closes her eyes, and feels a single claw cut from above her left brow, to below her left cheekbone.

"With this mark I name you Matron Draconus, mother of the last dragon. Now go to Jusenkyo, and listen to the man there, he is wise in the ways of the cursed springs."

Paying no mind to the blood running down her face, Ranma bows deeply, "Thank you great mother, your kin, my daughter, will have a loving family."

The dragon lays her head down, slowly closing her eyes.

Ranma stands tall again, "Rest now Krynn, for you have earned it." With that said, Ranma turns and leaves, not looking back.

"Thank you fate, for bringing me the great warrior known as Ranma Saotome."

After Words:

Well, hope this is easy to read, this is the first fic I've ever posted, tho I've been an avid fanfiction reader for around 10 years. I know I didn't change much, but feedback is always welcome, good and bad (please be gentle). And I'm not that good with writing, so I may take a few days, maybe a week to post the next chapter.


	2. Amazon Law

Ranma ½ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, not me. I am making no profit from this work of fanfiction, only mental relief, and personal satisfaction.

Authors Notes:

First of all, thank you for all the reviews; you are a true motivation for me to continue. Second, my roommate is an avid novel reader, and I have discussed my paragraph issues with him, and I believe this will be much easier on the eyes. Third, Ranma has no etiquette, yes, but he is in the presence of a creature of legend, one whom deserves the utmost respect, so Ranma does as he does best, he adapts fast, and uses the dragon's own speech patterns to at least try to be presentable. Fourth, Ranma did accept a bit too hastily, but we all know that Ranma wouldn't say no to a woman, especially a mother in distress. The dragon did unintentionally feed Ranma's ego, and Ranma knows he is the best, and who better to raise the child to follow his code of honor, than the best. Lastly, the fight went faster than the Musk could really react to; taking less than 30 seconds, start to spear. I'm sorry if things don't quite make much sense yet, but I don't want to give away future development for the sake of early understanding. Hopefully this chapter will answer a lot of your "Why" questions. Enjoy.

**Matron Draconus**

Chapter 02

Amazon Law

Around mid-afternoon Ranma Saotome, and her sleeping charge, near the cursed valley that she still harbors ill thoughts of. Remembering what Krynn told her of the man here, she makes her way directly to the small hut to the side of the valley. Her steps coming easier, and with much less pain since the weapon was removed from her leg.

Seeing her return, the guide stands and moves to greet his now frequent customer. "Honored sir, you return for travel packs, yes?"

Just then the sleeping whelp wakes, and stretches her small body with a big yawn. "Oh sir, where you get baby dragon, you no steal, right?"

Ranma's anger boils over in an instant, "Of course I didn't steal her!" Ranma pauses to regain some composure, "Her mother gave her to me, trusting me with her only child."

The guide immediately drops in a deep bow, "Oh, honored sir I no mean insult, understand now, great dragon give you highest honor, chose you to take her young."

"Uh, yeah you could say that." Ranma stops and looks at the infant, "I need somethin' from ya."

The guide straightens up, "Yes honored sir, I help if can."

Ranma looks out to the springs, "Take me to the spring I fell in."

The guide escorts Ranma out through the springs, taking a winding, but much safer path. "Here sir we have cursed spring Nyannichuan, spring of drowned girl. Very tragic story of young girl who drowned here over fifteen hundred year ago. Now whoever fall in spring, take body of girl."

Ranma slowly begins to walk into the spring, "Oh sir, what you doing, baby dragon will get curse."

"Honoring a promise I made to her dying mother." As Ranma settles in she begins to bathe the whelp in the cursed waters, witnessing the change with her own eyes. Finally accepting the fact that she is this child's only parent, Ranma steps out cradling the infant human with cerulean blue hair.

"Look sir, you is lucky, baby have same eyes as you. Come honored customer, I have meal ready, you hungry?" The guide begins the short trek back to his hut, with Ranma in tow.

Back inside Ranma settles in, still holding the naked infant, "Well, I suppose I gotta name ay, since your mom didn't tell me your name."

"Oh sir, you have most unique challenge there, what to name dragon girl." The portly man sets out a couple of large dishes, "Hope you is hungry, I make too too delicious Cantonese-style sweet and sour pork."

Ranma smiles, "you just answered my problem." She holds up the infant, looking her in the eyes, "I'll call ya Tatsuko, Tatsuko Saotome."

The baby gurgles happily at this, and proceeds to pee on Ranma's lap.

Ranma looks angry, for only an instant, and the guide laughs at the poor girl, "Sir, look like you need find diaper for baby."

Ranma's left eye twitches at that comment, "I can see that. Well kid, you gotta wait 'cause I'm starvin'."

With that they both dig in, Ranma's eating like a ravenous animal eliciting a few odd looks from the guide sitting across the table.

A short while later, after cleaning up the guide returns with a steaming kettle of water. "Would honored customer like hot water?"

Ranma looks at the man, puzzled. "Hot water?"

"I no have chance tell you before, hot water is for changing back to normal self."

"What!" Ranma stands abruptly, causing a small cry to come from Tatsuko, "You mean I can change back?"

"Yes, splash hot water make you normal self again, splash cold water make you girl again."

Ranma lays the girl down on the man's couch, "Gimme that," and she upends the kettle over her head.

Looking himself over, Ranma happily discovers he is in fact, male again. "That's the best news you could have given me."

Looking at Ranma's dirty and torn gi, "Um sir, you is having more clothings in pack, yes?"

Ranma nods, "Yeah, I've got a few other things, why?"

"Can use damage gi, make many diaper for baby." The man points at Ranma's leg, and motions towards the couch, where Tatsuko is contently playing with her fingers.

Ranma looks at his ripped gi, "Good idea man." Then he goes to the corner where his and the old man's packs are.

After digging out a change of clothes, Ranma steps outside to change, and returns a moment later wearing his signature red and black silk outfit.

"Sir, I wash and cut up gi, you rest for while." The guide takes Ranma's wasted gi and heads outside, while Ranma picks up his daughter and relaxes on the couch.

"Well kid, looks like I'm your father and mother now. But I don't even know what to feed you, let alone anything else about raising a kid." Ranma lays back and lets out a long sigh, lost in his situation for a while.

The guide eventually returns with a small stack of fragments of Ranma's old gi. "Here we are sir, but only have two pins, so not losing."

Ranma gets up, "Uh, thanks." He looks at the stack of cloth, not having a clue of what to do with it.

"Put baby on couch, I show how change diaper." Ranma lays Tatsuko down, and the guide goes to work, pointing out the specifics as he goes.

When the man finishes, Ranma picks her up and looks to the guide, "So uh, what should I uh, ya know, feed her?"

"You have big problem there, you no birth mother, so you no have breast milk."

Ranma cringes at that strange thought. "Sir, only choice you have is, make her dragon and feed her meat, but no change her to girl for at least hour, give time to digest. Meat bad for human baby."

Ranma looks outside, seeing that its almost dusk he turns back to his host, "Guide, I have one more question before I gotta go. What kind of, uh, stuff can you make from a dragon's body?"

The guide goes silent for a moment, "Dragon mother is dead, yes?"

Ranma nods, "Yes, she told me to use her body to protect and nourish us."

"You going back, I come with, pay respect to honored dragon, guardian of mountain."

"Um, okay, I guess, but not till the moon comes up."

"In old days warrior make many different clothings, armors, and weapons from parts of dragon. Most common is scaled armor, cloak of dragon wing, and knives of dragon talon. Never hear of eating dragon."

Ranma looks outside again, "Well, it's close enough to dark, I gotta get going. Will you carry my father's pack?"

Ranma spends the next few days living in the cave, the Jusenkyo guide makes frequent visits. With a lot of help from the guide, Ranma manages to utilize as much of Krynn's remains as he believes possible.

He creates a scaled cloak, using wing leather, back scales, and sinew to bind it together. He also makes a rather menacing looking skull cap from the dragon's skull, and clawed gauntlets from her front claws. Ranma makes a pouch for carrying Tatsuko that he can wear on his back or front, and a walking staff from a long wing bone.

The first couple of days father and daughter feed on freshly cooked meat, and using salts provided by the Jusenkyo guide, he wraps and packs much of the remaining meat, to be rations for his upcoming travels.

On the last day Ranma plans on being there, he makes Tatsuko human once again; she stayed a dragon during the stay in the cave.

The guide is there to show Ranma to a nearby Amazon village, it lies in the direction Ranma punted the panda.

Ranma's keen senses detect a presence outside the cave. Motioning for the guide to be silent, he points at the sleeping infant then disappears outside.

He returns a moment later and throws a dazed man in tiger furs down on the cave floor, and quickly dons one of the gauntlets, purely for the intimidation factor.

"Oh, sir that Musk warrior, probably scout if alone. What you doing to him?" The guide watches curiously as Ranma pins him down, unable to move the slightest bit.

Ranma growls, "Getting information," and decks the Musk scout to help restore his mental faculties.

"Tell me why your prince wanted this dragon dead!" The Musk lay there not responding.

Ranma shows his clawed hand, "Tell me now, or I'll gouge your eyes out!"

This got a response from the now cowering man, "The beast refused our prince's gracious offer to be royal breeding stock."

Ranma looks to the Jusenkyo guide confused, "Breeding stock?"

"Yes honored sir, the Musk take many different animal to cursed spring, make them woman for breeding mighty warrior. Royal Musk have dragon blood."

This makes Ranma furious, "She refused to be cursed breeding stock, so you killed her!" He decks the scout again, "Go tell your damned prince the last dragon is dead!"

Ranma gets up and kicks the man out of the cave. "Now get outta here, you make me sick!"

The Musk scout runs off, lucky to get away with only a few broken ribs.

"Sir now is good time for leaving, Musk prince very vengeful."

"Good idea, I'm done here anyway."

Ranma prepares to leave, wearing everything he made, Tatsuko's pouch on his chest, his own pack on his back and his father's in his right hand.

Again Ranma departs from the cave, not looking back, for good this time.

A few hours later, it's been raining since just after leaving the cave, the three travelers arrive at the Joketsuzoku Amazon village. Ranma immediately notices the gathering of women, and what appears to be a contest battle of sorts.

"Oh, good fortune sir, we arrive during contest to see who village greatest warrior is."

"Cool, this should be interesting. Maybe one of these women could give me some tips on taking care of Tatsuko." Said baby is quietly sleeping in Ranma's pouch.

"Oh no sir, that very bad." The Jusenkyo guide points to a table holding a massive feast, and the fat panda gorging himself.

"Amazon warrior womans be very angry, panda eating first prize feast, what is for winner of contest. Womans eat panda in place of feast."

Ranma makes her way directly to the stupid panda, "Stupid old man, that food is for the winner of their contest. They're gonna eat you in place of their feast, ya idiot!"

Genma holds up a sign, "They're just girls boy, don't tell me you're afraid."

"They may be just girls, but there's dozens of 'em. Ya fool, try thinking with something besides your stomach for once!"

By now the women have noticed the outsider girl and her pet panda that's eating the prize. Xian Pu the battle victor, moves to dispose of the outsider, save what's left of her feast, and claim her new panda fur rug.

"Pop, ya gotta get outta here before they notice ya."

The panda flips his sign, "Too late."

Ranma turns just in time to see the young, purple-haired Amazon ready to strike with her twin Bonbori battle maces.

"Oh no ya don't!" Reacting with expert skill, Ranma throws her father's pack at the panda, deflects the first mace with her right gauntleted hand, quickly trips the Amazon with her bone staff, and flows into a spin kick that sends the girl flying into the closest group of Amazon women.

Amazon elder Khu Lon notices the fight starting at the prize table, and moves to investigate. After seeing her great granddaughter easily batted away, she turns her attention to the outsider girl. Seeing the mark on the girl's face, she notices the very unique signature in her aura. "Oh no, it couldn't be."

Khu Lon accelerates, blinking past the other Amazons, moving in to get a closer look.

Xian Pu stands, forsaking her maces, and walks up to the outsider girl, and gently cups the girls face in her hands.

Ranma readies herself when the mace girl gets back up, but relaxes slightly when the Amazon simply walks up to her. "Hey look, I don't wanna fight ya, I'm just here to get my stupid pops, kay?"

Tatsuko starts crying after Ranma's little scuffle with the Amazon girl.

Khu Lon confirms her suspicions at the sight of the crying baby, that she can clearly see is a dragon, cursed to be human. Seeing Xian Pu's course of action, Khu Lon panics, "No Xian Pu, don't!"

Xian Pu plants a soft kiss on the left cheek of the girl, right on the dragon's mark, slowly backing away, with narrowed eyes she turns to question her great grandmother's outburst, only to be knocked to her knees by a blow to the top of the head by Khu Lon's staff.

"Foolish girl, that is the Matron Draconus! Do you know what you've done?"

Xian Pu hangs her head in shame, knowing that she is as good as dead; giving the Kiss of Death to the honored dragon mother is a most heinous crime, punishable by death.

"Oh honored sirs, that very bad!"

"Huh?" Ranma turns to the guide, not understanding what just happened.

"She give you Amazon Kiss of Death, now whole tribe kill you! Run Sirs!"

"Oh crap, ain't gotta tell me twice." Ranma turns to run, knowing this will agitate little Tatsuko even more. "I'm outta here, stay if ya want pop." And Ranma bolts, praying she can out run a mob of armed and angry women seeing red.

The panda quickly signs, "Right behind ya boy." Before grabbing his pack and a huge ham flank, and then he beats feet, leaving a dust cloud in his wake.

Elder Khu Lon turns to the only man present, "You there, Jusenkyo guide, what do you know of that girl?"

"Honorable Elder, that is no girl, He is a Japanese man that fell into Nyannichuan."

"A man?" Khu Lon smiles at this wonderful turn of events, "And the child?"

"She is a baby dragon, the only surviving kin of the great dragon. Her mother was killed the other day by a band of Musk, sent by their prince."

Khu Lon loses her composure, "Musk!" She turns to the rest of the tribe, "Hear me!" Silence falls, "The Musk have murdered the great dragon Krynn. And for this they shall lose their beloved Prince Herb!"

Xian Pu stands and faces the approaching elder, ready to receive punishment for her foolishness.

"Xian Pu, you are fortunate, fate has smiled on you today. That was a man, cursed by Nyannichuan."

Xian Pu's bubbly demeanor returns in an instant, "So that kiss I gave him was the Kiss of Marriage."

"Yes great granddaughter, you just bagged the perfect husband. And when you are wed you will share his title of Matron Draconus, and achieve the highest status in the tribe."

Xian Pu seems lost in happiness and thoughts of being the youngest elder in the history of the Joketsuzoku.

"Pack your bags Xian Pu; we're going to Japan to fetch your prize husband."

After Words:

I hope this one is better, but I really love all the reviews, even mister "WALL OFF TEXT' really, it all helps. Now I know many will question Ranma "making" things of Krynn's remains, I'm not going to justify it yet, I don't want to spoil future chapters, but remember, he did make a promise, and the guide did help him with most of it. BTW, Ranma probably won't be using the cap and gauntlets, their mainly keepsakes.

I could use some help though, how should Ranma go about transporting Tatsuko back to Japan? He may be dumb, but he's not stupid enough to swim that while carrying an infant. Please, I crave feedback, you are all fueling my writing motivation.


	3. Safe Passage

Ranma ½ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, not me. I am making no profit from this work of fanfiction, only mental relief, and personal satisfaction.

Authors Notes:

Well, thank you all again for the wonderful reviews. Time to spill the beans, yes I was wrong about the placement of the "Kiss" I honestly didn't know the bit about the lips and cheek; I changed it, and made for an interesting possibility.

I believe Ranma did defeat shampoo by their standards. In both anime altercations, Ranma bested Shampoo with a single blow; one kick sending her flying from the log, and on her butt….Kiss of Death. One hit knocking her away, while protecting Akane, again on her butt ….Kiss of Marriage.

And I believe that the cursed male/female individuals warrant an elder's discretion as to what Kiss applies, i.e.: Female cursed to be male, receive kiss of marriage, Tribe discovers they are naturally female, the appropriate kiss for being defeated then applies, and vise versa.

I very specifically remember the discussion of Shampoo being bound by Amazon Law to Marry Boy-type, and Kill Girl-type. When they discovered Ranma's true form, only the kiss that applied that form remained valid.

Yes Cologne was a bit OOC, but she was trying to spare Shampoo the disgrace of what she did to the honored dragon mother. And the bit about, "He's male, that make everything different." Yes it does, that's exactly how these Amazon's think, Kill women that get in the way, and take worthy males home and make lots of babies. A male that earns the Matron Draconus title, is at the top of the "Worthy Males" List, making him, truly a "prize husband"

I will go into greater detail of the history of Matron Draconus in future chapters, things will seem more appropriate then, and as for Ranma and any kind of "dragon powers"……….Wouldn't you like to know…………'Innocent Smile'

And I fixed Chapter one, sorry it took so long to do, I didn't know about the "replace content" feature here on ffnet

**Matron Draconus**

Chapter 03

Safe Passage

"Pop, I gotta stop, I need a break." Ranma stops running, not looking tired at all.

"You're getting soft boy." Genma flips his sign, "It hasn't even been an hour yet."

"Shut up, I know we just left, but I gotta take care of Tatsuko, she's been crying since we ran." Ranma finds a wide spot in the mountain trail, and sets her pack down.

Genma, finally realizing what that annoying noise is, "How dare you blame your father," quick sign flip, "For making them attack us," another flip, "When you stole one of their kids."

Ranma quickly looses her cool, ready to pound the fat panda, "I didn't steal her! Geez, why does everyone think I stole her when they see me with a baby?" She refrains from committing panda assault; more pressing matters are at hand. "Her mother trusted me to take her and raise her."

Genma pulls out another sign.

"Shut up old man, or I won't tell ya how to change back to normal." Ranma stares at the panda, hiding her satisfaction at finally having some leverage with her father.

"How dare you hold out on your father!" Genma throws this sign at Ranma, whom easily dodges it.

"Now make a fire, and get out your cooking pot, or you can stay a panda for all I care." Ranma settles down and begins removing her accessories.

Genma stares daggers at Ranma for a moment before going about making the fire. He unties his pot from his pack, and hands it to Ranma.

"I don't want it, fill it up with water and put it on the fire." Ranma fills her pot, and sets it aside.

After removing all of her articles of Krynn, Ranma partly unfolds her bedroll, and lays Tatsuko on it in her pouch. Her crying has mostly subsided, now mainly fussy, and obviously hungry.

A short while later Genma's pot is boiling, and Ranma finally puts hers on the fire, "Ya wanna be a man again pop, dump your pot over your head."

Genma eyes the pot warily, "I'm no fool boy, that water is boiling." And then tosses his sign in the fire.

Ranma stands abruptly, "I know it's boiling, that's how it works for pandas, stupid old man!" Ranma then kicks the pot at the panda, drenching him with the scalding water, reverting him to his old, bald self.

Thinking to herself, while holding in a laugh, 'Oh this will be great, if he buys it I'll get a laugh every time he changes back.'

A now glowing red, human Genma, sits unmoving for a few minutes, his body in temperature shock.

"Told ya, look at yourself, it worked didn't it?" Ranma checks the water in her pot, "Couple more minutes."

In a blink, the oaf Genma is up and in Ranma's face, "Ranma, what's wrong with you, are you letting that girl's body affect your thoughts?"

"Back off Pops, I gotta feed Tatsuko, she's hungry."

Genma grabs Ranma by the shirt collar, and hefts her a few feet up in the air, "It breaks your father's heart to see you this way, trying to be motherly and all. Ranma you bring disgrace to the Saotome School with your acting like a girl!"

With that Genma turns and throws Ranma, before he looks where he's throwing, "Oops, didn't realize we were so high up."

Ranma watches as the ground flies by, then disappears, as she realizes she's at least a thousand feet up, "Pop you idiot, it's too high." Then she yells back as she plummets, "I swear if you touch her I'll kill you!"

Genma turns back to the still fussy infant lying on Ranma's bedroll, "Oh well, he'll catch up eventually. This way I got some time to get rid of the noise maker." And Genma puts his pack on, and grabs Tatsuko and continues his trek, heading east.

Ranma looks down at her impending doom, "This sucks, man I could really use a lucky break right about now."

Then she spots it, a tall, very bushy tree, "Looks like that's the only chance I got, probably still gonna break something though." Ranma twists in the air, and tries to aim herself at the large tree.

She reaches out to the first big branch, on impact everything goes black.

Some time later, Ranma comes to very abruptly, and screaming. Trying to sit up, she's thrown for an agonizing mental loop by the amount of pain she's feeling in her left arm.

"Easy girl, don't move yet, at least not until you can see and think straight."

Ranma slowly sit up, cringing the entire way, and looks to the source of the voice. "Uh, where am I?" She stops and thinks for a moment, "Tatsuko!"

The source of the voice, a middle-aged Chinese woman with long and straight black hair, puts a hand on Ranma's good shoulder. "I said don't move yet! Your baby is not here, and neither is your father."

"I can't stay; I gotta go find her before he does something to her." Again Ranma tries to get up, only to be stopped by the Chinese woman again.

"Calm down, you can't even stand up right now, let alone go looking for someone. Rest for a few, and regain your bearings.

Defeated, Ranma just sits, hardly relaxing, unable to think about anything but what her no-good pops is doing with her baby. Then she looks at the woman again, "How did you know about them?"

"Easy, you've been calling for 'Tatsuko' and yelling curses at your 'Pops' for a couple hours now, all while unable to wake up."

Ranma realizes the stupid old man is long gone by now, "A couple hours."

"Yes, and it wasn't hard to figure out that Tatsuko is your baby, you're leaking. Why are you out without a bra if you're still lactating?" The woman points at Ranma's chest, where a couple of small, odd colored stains are on her shirt, over her breasts.

"Leaking, lac- what?" Ranma looks at herself, "Is something wrong with me?"

The woman looks at her puzzled for a minute, "How long ago did you give birth?"

"Oh, I uh, didn't. I adopted her, from her dying mother." Ranma hangs her head low in quiet mourning.

"Really, then it appears that your body has already accepted that baby as your own, your making milk for her." The woman smiles at Ranma, seeing a girl so devoted to a child that is not hers by blood is heart warming.

"Wow, that's uh, really weird, but good, right?"

"Of course it is."

"Well, I really need to go, I'm afraid my pops is gonna try to sell her for food or something."

"Your father would do that?" The Chinese woman instantly developing a grudge for the bald oaf.

"Yep, he sold me a few times when I was really young, then stole me back."

"I never knew such a man existed."

Ranma looks down at her arm in a sling, "So, how bad is it?"

"Well, I reset your dislocated shoulder, but your arm has multiple breaks, it really needs to be put in a cast, after a doctor checks it out. I gave you some of my old medicine, but it'll wear off by tomorrow, and I don't have any more."

"That's ok, thanks for your help."

"My daughters found your pack and belongings, and they said there are tracks of a heavy man heading east from where you fell off the mountain."

"I was thrown." Ranma looks sour, finding it all too easy to be angry at her father.

"Your father?"

"Yeah."

"Oh my."

"Hey, I'd like to thank your daughters for bringing my stuff. I know my pack weighs a ton."

"It did take both of them to carry it, but they've gone home. They can't speak Japanese anyway, but I'll be sure to tell them for you."

"Thanks again, but I think I really gotta go, I'm worried for Tatsuko."

"That is understandable, but you do need to be careful."

"I know, but I gotta get to her before he does something stupid, if I can get to them in time I can just beat him up and be done with it, but if I find him too late, I don't know, I'll probably kill him."

"I see your point, but you definitely sound like her mother. She's lucky to have a parent like you."

"Well, I uh, can you help me, get the rest of my things on, like my pack."

"Of course, though I have no idea how you travel with a pack that heavy." The woman strains, barely able to get Ranma's pack up on the bed Ranma is sitting on.

"Heh, well, ten years of strength and endurance training will do that for ya." Ranma lightly chuckles while getting her right arm through the strap.

The short Chinese woman moves to her other side, and carefully helps the strap around the left arm, and then brings the rest of Ranma's accessories over to the bed.

"Very unique possessions you have here, very rare style."

"Yeah, you could say that, I did make them myself." She finishes getting the big cloak pulled over her pack and tied on, after putting the gauntlet for her left hand inside.

Ranma puts the other gauntlet and the dragon skull cap on, and then stands using her bone staff as support.

"I have to admit, you are very lucky, to have fallen that far, and have all of your injuries focused on the one arm." She shows Ranma to the door.

"I do have one question before I go. Do you know the name Krynn?"

"Oh yes, most women around here do, why?" The short woman eyes Ranma, puzzled by such a question.

"Please don't tell anyone I have her daughter, but you should know she was killed a few days ago, by warriors of the Musk." And Ranma continues out the door.

The woman stares, almost in shock, "Wait."

Ranma stops and turns, the woman now sure of where the skull came from.

"Matron, please tell me your name."

Ranma gives a short bow, "I'm Ranma Saotome, thanks again for everything." Ranma turns and leaves, heading towards the mountain trail she fell from.

In another part of China, not too far away, Prince Herb of the Musk Dynasty sits in his throne room.

A certain scout warrior enters, kneels and bows. "My lord, I bring new of the missing men"

"Out with it then!" The Prince is obviously not having a good day, with the loss of some of his best warriors and all.

"It was a man, a foreigner, he killed all of them, he let me live to tell you that the last dragon is dead."

"Is that all?"

"Yes my lord."

"Be gone then!"

The weary scout stands and leaves quickly, fearing punishment from his lord for bringing bad news.

The Musk Prince stands and retires to his chambers, then enters a side room from his own.

"That's too bad." He smiles, looking over the mound of gold and precious gems, and the little blue dragon whelp sleeping on top of it.

"I would have liked for him to come here, and try to rescue Krynn's only daughter."

Ranma travels almost constantly for the next three days, only stopping to rest against the mountainside, or a tree. After re-hydrating herself, she would continue, avoiding the difficulty of resting with her useless arm in a sling.

Ranma would stop in every settlement she passed, asking about the old man, following any clues she could find. And talking to every man, woman, and child she saw, asking about her blue-haired baby.

Early evening on the third day, Ranma enters a fairly good sized port town. Primarily used for shipping and distribution, there are very few businesses here, so Ranma heads straight for the docks.

"Maybe the old man traded her for passage back to Japan, but I didn't think he would leave without me."

She stops by every pier, asking guards and sailors alike, and finding no clues.

Exhaustion is finally setting in, so Ranma decided to take a short break on a bench near the town's largest pier.

"Geez, where did that stupid old man go? I swear when I find him, I'm gonna break every bone in his body. One at a time." Ranma says to no one specifically, much venom in her voice. After having three days to brood, the only thing she has for the old man now is hatred.

A couple of sailors walk by, passing gossip and whatnot. "Can you believe that guy?"

"Yeah, I mean, what kind of father trades his own daughter for food, talk about scum."

"You said it, but what a cute little kid though, and that blue hair, have you ever seen anything like it?"

Ranma perks up at the blue hair comment, and slowly staggers towards the two sailors. "Hey you guys."

The sailors stop and look at the worn and weary girl, noting the slung left arm, and the fact that she is leaning heavily on her staff.

"What's up little lady, you look like you need some help."

"You said blue hair, have you seen a fat oaf with a baby with blue hair?"

One sailor elbows the other, "Look man, this chick's got the same eyes as the kid did."

The other sailor just stares at her eyes, mesmerized by their deep blue color.

"Please tell me, have you seen my baby?" Ranma practically pleads the men to give her some good news, for a change.

"Uh yeah, who was the bald guy that was trying to trade her?"

"That would be my worthless father, he took her from me. Where did you see them?"

"Well, the scumbag has already left town, but I think he traded the kid for a bunch of food."

Ranma stops, ready to collapse at any moment, "Who, do you know who he traded her to, I've gotta find her, please."

The one sailor that hasn't said much yet point to a large freighter parked at the big pier, "My cap'n, He gave her to my cap'n for two weeks of rations. Little lady, you better get up there and talk to her, this boat be leavin' in less than an hour."

Ranma makes straight for the ship, moving as fast as her tired body will allow.

"Dang, If'n I weren't on duty I'd help the lady out, but I ain't 'bout to break protocols, I need this job."

"You said it mate."

Up on the ship, after getting directions, Ranma head for the bridge, where the captain is said to be.

Ranma enters the bridge, and spots a woman wearing a lot more uniform than the rest of the crew; at the same time that woman spots Ranma, and smiles, feeling some kind of relief

"Oh, I'm so glad you came."

"You're the captain? Is my baby here?"

"Yes she is, right over here." She motions to an ornate wooden rocking cradle, set right next to the captain's chair.

Ranma drops to her knees next to the cradle, "Tatsuko, I –" She smiles at the sight of the sleeping baby, and looks up to the mid-aged woman with a dark tan, and long flowing white hair, "Oh thank you so mu-" Ranma passes out, no longer having the willpower to even stay awake. Ranma slumps over, with a look of peace on her face, the first in many days.

"Poor thing worried herself almost to death, I'm glad I gave that bastard the food for her kid, I'd hate to think what would have happened to her if she had to keep going."

The Captain stands Ranma's staff in the corner, carefully removes her pack, noting the arm in a sling, picks the exhausted girl up, and leaves the bridge.

"Swabbie!" She yells out.

A moment later one of the deck hands shows up, "Yes Cap'n?"

She looks back in the bridge, "Grab that pack and follow me."

"Aye aye, cap'n." and he does as ordered.

Inside a vacant officer's room, she lays the girl on the bed, and proceeds to undress her, taking care with her left arm. After covering her up in bed she turns to leave, "Well, girl I hope you don't mind a trip to Japan, 'cause my boat ain't waiting for you to wake up."

After Words:

Well, that was a surprise, even to me, and I wrote it, just couldn't figure out how to get Ranma back to Japan, but I like the way it worked out. Well, please R&R, I love the feedback.

As for the review about respect, I'm sorry, I honestly didn't know how to redo a chapter until I posted number 2, but it is fixed. I really didn't think taking too long to fix a bad chapter would warrant disrespect, that tells me that you see me lower than dirt.

Oh well, in the future I will try to stay on top of requests and issues more, but I am not perfect, and will never claim to be. I'm human, and I screw up like everyone else does.

Anyway. Yes, the Amazons do have in interesting challenge ahead, how to bring home the honored Matron Draconus, without dishonoring or disrespecting him. I believe we will see a different side of the Amazons in the future. One reason Cologne seemed so different, there has never been a Matron Draconus in the Joketsuzoku Tribe; this is the first opportunity for such occurrence in their 3000 years of Amazon history.

Another question, I've edited the summary, but the revision only shows on my authors page, anybody know why? Or how I can fix it?


	4. Family Values

Ranma ½ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, not me. I am making no profit from this work of fanfiction, only mental relief, and personal satisfaction. Any other characters I use belong to their respective owners, except Tatsuko, she's mine.

Authors Notes:

Well, thank you all again, I'd like to say that this is coming much faster than I ever expected. I've even put my WoW playing on hold for writing this. But I'm happy to finally be writing, and not just staring at a blank page.

Anyway, the cave Ranma lived in was not her nest, but merely the place she chose to hide and recover, hopefully keeping her other child from the hands of the Musk.

I know I am making Herb to be a bad guy, but the only surviving dragon did refuse his offer, effectively ending the dragon royal bloodline, so yeah, he's a bit miffed. But he does have the dragon's young, now he just has to wait for it to grow up, then he has a mother for his heir.

Lactating, yes. I have seen an episode of CSI, where a girl was lactating, never having given birth, and not being around babies. The symptom even has a clinical name (That which I've forgotten) and is brought on by a hormonal imbalance. Besides, Krynn blessed Ranma to be her baby's 'Mother' so; I think it's within reason.

And the status, well, the way the Amazons see it is anything belonging to the male is by default property of the female, possessions, titles, and all. No, Shampoo would not be the Matron Draconus, but the tribe would see her as such.

Also, ffnet messed up a little bit of the authors note, and the title of chapter 3, anybody know why?

**Matron Draconus**

Chapter 04

Family Values

In a large cavern, at the top of a mountain near Musk territory, four diminutive Amazon elders stand, surveying the carnage that lies before them.

"This is not the final resting place of the Great Dragon, though it does look like the battle started here." The oldest of the elders motions towards the numerous mangled and melted bodies of the Musk warriors.

"Agreed, we must find her remains, to confirm that the Musk did in fact commit this atrocity." Another elder replies, before moving to leave.

"What do we have here?" The youngest elder calls the attention of the others present, standing before what appears to be a large pile of egg shells.

"This would be the egg that child hatched from."

"Yes, but there is far too much here to be a single dragon egg." One elder points out while sifting through the shell fragments.

"It does seem that way. Well, either the second child is lost, dead, or the Musk have taken it."

"Most likely the Musk have it, they did claim her horde, and Herb has no use for more treasure."

"Musk, they have gone too far this time, even the Saffron would not kill the guardian of these mountains. I will go to the Jusenkyo guide to see if he knows of Krynn's final resting place."

"And I will go prepare a message to be sent to Khu Lon."

With that said the four Amazon elders pay their respects to the home of the fallen dragon, and part ways to make preparations for the up coming events.

In a small port shipping town on the west coast of Japan, the freighter "Nifelheim" sits moored while dozens of sailors work to transfer cargo to and from the ship.

Ranma stirs and finally wakes after a few days of much needed sleep. She sits up carefully, remembering that her arm is still in a sling, and looks around the small cabin she's been sleeping in.

She first sees Tatsuko, sleeping in that wooden cradle, then the woman captain sitting in an arm chair, with a beer in one hand, and an open novel in the other.

"Oh, so you finally wake up, hope you're feeling better, you definitely look it." The white-haired woman sets her beer and book down to help the girl stand.

"Thank you, uh." Ranma stops, having no idea what to call the woman.

"Hild, just call me Hild." She smiles, supporting the girl as she steadies herself.

"Okay, I'm Ranma Saotome, thank you Hild, for saving my baby from that worthless father of mine." Ranma looks herself over, and almost falls back when she realizes all that she's wearing is a white cotton bra and panties. "Um, what am I wearing?"

"Oh, well, your clothes were filthy, so I had them laundered. I put you in those in case you got up when I wasn't here, you would at least be decent. You can keep them. I haven't fit in those in many years."

"Um, thanks, I guess." Ranma tries to pretend not to notice, she can change after she leaves.

"It's no problem dear, now lets get you dressed, you've gotta be going soon, my ship leaves for China in a few hours, and I've got things to attend to."

"Wait, you mean we're not in China anymore?"

"No, we're on the west coast of Japan; my ship couldn't wait for you to come to. Plus you're Japanese, so I figure you might like a ride home." Taking great care with the girls arm, Hild helps Ranma get dressed in her red and black attire.

Ranma moves to pick up her pack, but the Captain stops her. "Don't worry about that Ranma. I'll have one of my men carry it to the train station for you."

"Okay, wait, train station?"

"Here, I got you a ticket, I get them really cheap. That train will take you to the greater Tokyo area. From there you're on your own."

"I couldn't, I have no way of repaying you."

Hild stops her, "I'll have no more of that. For me, seeing mother and daughter reunited and going home is more payment than I could ever want. Consider it a gift."

Ranma really wants to hug this woman, never knowing kindness like this before, but she maintains herself. "I don't know what to say."

Within a few minutes Ranma is completely dressed, Tatsuko in pouch and all. And Hild is walking her to the end of the pier.

"One more thing Ranma, what would you like me to do about that bastard you call a father, if I see him again?"

"Whatever you want, beat him senseless, make a panda fur rug, or-" Ranma gets an idea, something she heard other sailors talking about, as a form of punishment in the old days. "What's it called when you drag him across the bottom of your boat?"

"Keel haul?" Hild looks at Ranma, not really surprised that she would suggest such a torturous act.

"Yeah that one, if you see him again, keel haul the jerk for me."

"I like the way you think Ranma, you take care of yourself, and that cute little girl of yours." Hild gives Ranma a short wave before turning back to her working men.

"Hurry it up, slackers!"

"Aye aye Hild-sama!" The whole crew replies in unison, and doubles their efforts.

The sailor escorts Ranma to the train station, and makes sure she's safely onboard the right train before leaving to return to his ship.

Ranma settles in, the only other passenger in the same car giving her a strange look before moving to another car, probably spooked by her strange attire. Namely the dragon skull on her head.

Khu Lon and Xian Pu are resting in a familiar port town on the coast of China, when a messenger bird swoops in and lands on Xian Pu's head, and drops a letter in her hands.

"Oh, great grandmother, a message from the village." Xian Pu hands the letter over to Khu Lon, who opens and reads it aloud.

"Warrior Xian Pu, you are hereby recalled home to face your punishment for violation of sacred Amazon law and the kiss of death given to the honored Matron Draconus is hereby nullified."

Xian Pu again hangs her head in shame, losing all hope of the status she could have attained.

The bird on her head drops a steaming load, then takes off, heading west back to the village.

"Well, I'm sorry Xian Pu, I tried to turn this in your favor, but it appears the council will not overlook your transgression. Time to head back." Then Khu Lon notices more in the letter.

"Elder Khu Lon, you are requested to continue to Japan, to inform the honored matron of the possibility of a second child of Krynn, being held by Herb of the Musk."

"Ooh, this is interesting, another child of Krynn. Xian Pu, your only hope of saving face in the eyes of the council is to volunteer to lead the attack on the Musk, and rescue this second child for the dragon mother. Now go, and do not dawdle."

"Yes great grandmother." Xian Pu stands and begins her solemn trek back to her home, not even caring about the bird droppings in her hair.

In an extravagant throne room, Ranma bears witness to a girl, roughly her age, with a unique color of cerulean blue hair, being beaten and violated by a partially over dressed man wearing a crown.

The girl looks straight to Ranma, and reaches out with her one free hand, "Papa, help me, it hurts so much. Papa!"

Ranma snaps, realizing what she's watching. "No. Tatsuko!"

Ranma jerks up, startled from the nightmare by her own scream.

She settles back into her seat, and places her one free arm around Tatsuko in her pouch. The baby started fussing when Ranma scared her with that scream.

"It's okay, I'm right here. I'm sorry, please calm down."

But the fussing soon turns into crying, and Ranma gets an idea of what the problem is.

"I know, you're probably hungry huh." She looks to her pack where the now dried dragon jerky is stored. "Well, I can't feed ya here, there's people around. I'm sorry baby, but you gotta wait till we're off the train."

Of course Tatsuko doesn't agree with this, and her crying intensifies, getting louder and louder.

Ranma looks down at her nuzzling into her chest, and remembers what that kind Chinese woman told her. "Ain't no way I'm doin' that. I couldn't possibly." She pauses, overcome by the helpless feeling of not being able to comfort Tatsuko. "I, I can't believe I'm gonna do this, geez what did I get myself into?"

Ranma adjusts the pouch on her chest, and then proceeds to unbutton her shirt, and slowly move the white bra that she's still wearing, exposing her breast to the crying child.

Tatsuko goes right to work, instantly quiet, contently suckling on her mother's breast.

The feeling of her child sucking on her elicits a shudder from Ranma, "Oh that feels really weird. Don't even think of making this a habit kid, I'd rather be feeding you as a dragon right now."

Just a moment later the Conductor enter the car Ranma is in. The instant he notices what Ranma is doing he averts his attention to the back of the train, and slowly walk down the car.

Ranma turns beet red at the sight of the man, unable to hide what's going on, she just stares at the man as he moves towards her.

Stopping next to Ranma, without looking he stretches out his hand. "Ticket please."

Ranma stares, dumbfounded for a moment, then carefully pulls out her ticket and places it in the man's hand.

The Conductor looks over the ticket, and then hands it back to Ranma, "Thank you, and enjoy the rest of your trip ma'am."

Ranma relaxes as the man moves into the next car, and decides to watch the scenery pass by for the rest of her trip.

Ranma decides to tie the skull to the side of her pack, before going through the long struggle of putting the pack on. Once she's ready she departs the now parked train, and heads straight for the closest phone booth.

A couple hours later, Ranma is steadily making her way down the streets of the Nerima ward, following written directions on a scrap of paper. "Well, I guess I got kinda lucky, only one Saotome lives in Tokyo. But I still gotta make sure it's her."

Ranma ducks inside a small Okonomiyaki restaurant, and walks up to the proprietor, "Excuse me, do you have a bathroom here?"

The chef looks up at the new arrival, "Sure do sugar." She points down a short hallway, "It's right down the hall there on the left."

"Thanks." Ranma heads down the hall, and locks herself in the bathroom.

"Well, I gotta change back before going home, don't wanna make things worse than they already are." She pauses and sniffs the air, "Looks like you could use a change too."

About half an hour later, male Ranma emerges from the restaurant bathroom, and heads to the door, "Thanks again." He waves, still holding his staff, to the cook on the way out.

The young lady behind the cooking counter just stares at the man that just left her restaurant, the man wearing the exact same clothes as the girl who came in a short while ago. "For some reason that guy looked really familiar, I wonder why?"

Ranma continues his walk; sure that he's no more than an hour from his destination. "I hope she accepts things the way they are, 'cause I really don't have anywhere else to go right now."

About an hour later Ranma stops at a gate, the family plaque outside reads 'Saotome' "Well, here goes nuthin"

Ranma hesitantly walks up to the door, and after a brief pause, ring the bell.

Eventually a very traditional looking Japanese woman answers the door, "Yes, can I help you young man?"

Ranma just stares for a moment before mentally slapping himself, "Um, yeah, I'm looking for a Nodoka Saotome."

Nodoka looks at the young man, and the beautiful baby he's carrying, noticing something, but unable to put her finger on it. "I'm her, what do you need?"

Ranma's heart races, so much that he's sure it will agitate little Tatsuko. "Uh, do you have a son named Ranma?"

"Yes I do. What of him?" She looks at the young man, now even more confused by his questions.

"Uh, hi mom, I'm home." Ranma is using every ounce of willpower he possesses to maintain composure.

"Ranma?" The only thing keeping her from crushing him a motherly hug is the baby strapped to his chest.

"Yeah mom, it's me, I'm home."

A while later, Ranma has furiously stuffed his face, and he and Nodoka sit down for a nice long talk.

"So, Ranma where is your wife?"

"Wife?" Oh crap, bad place to start, "Mom, I'm not married."

"But what about the baby's mother?"

"It's a long story mom, but she died back in China."

"Oh I'm so sorry to hear that, it must be hard on you."

Just then Tatsuko starts fussing, almost crying.

Ranma picks her up from the couch next to him, "Shhh, its ok, calm down, what's the matter."

"Here Ranma, let me see her."

"She's hungry mom, I gotta feed her."

Nodoka looks a bit miffed from being turned down. "What have you been feeding her, son?"

"Um, milk of course, what else could I be feeding her?"

"Well, yes, but without her mother, have you been buying formula?"

"No, I haven't had any money for a long time." Ranma stands up, still holding Tatsuko, "Mom, I gotta show ya something, now I don't want ya to freak out on me, okay?"

"Son, your concerning me, what could be that bad?"

"I'll show you." Ranma walks to the kitchen, gets a glass from the cupboard, fills it with cold water, and returns to the family room.

"I kinda got cursed while I was in China."

"What do you mean cursed, what are you talking about?"

"This." Ranma pours the glass on top of his head, activating his transformation.

"Cold water turns me into a girl mom." Ranma picks up the crying baby, and sits back on the couch.

Nodoka blinks, not wanting to believe what she just saw, but unable to deny the difference in her son's voice. "My son, turns into a girl? How did this happen Ranma?"

"Its all Pops' fault, but he got cursed too, he turns into a panda." Ranma begins unbuttoning her shirt.

"What are you doing Ranma?"

"I'm feeding my baby mom, the only way that I can." Ranma exposes a breast and cradles Tatsuko up to it. The girl starts to suckle, going silent, and like before, Ranma shudders at the strange feeling.

"Son, you just said her mother died in China, you can't possibly be carrying milk unless you are the baby's mother."

"I said it was a long story mom, no I'm not her birth mother."

"Then you are her father."

"Yes, but not by blood, I adopted her."

"You what!"

"It was her mother's dying with that I take her as my own daughter, and raise her to follow my family's code of honor."

"I won't have it, no son of mine will ever father a bastard child, hand it over this instant, some other family can adopt it and deal with the shame."

"Mom?" Ranma looks like his own mother just slapped him for dishonoring the family.

"In the history of the Saotome family there has never been a bastard child on the family register, and I'll not have my son breaking family tradition!"

"I swore on my families honor that I would raise her as my own, and I will not back out of an honor pledge, mother." Ranma's hurt feelings are quickly giving way to anger, almost hatred towards her own mother.

"You dare make an honor pledge that you can't keep, son you tarnish the family name by bringing that thing in my home!"

"I come here wanting nothing more than acceptance, to show you your granddaughter, and this is what I get!" Ranma cleans herself up, and puts Tatsuko back in her pouch.

"I am your mother and you will do as I say; now take that gaijin bastard and give it to the adoption agency. It is not welcome inside these walls!"

"No! Mother, this is my baby, I swore on my honor that she would be as my own daughter. Now you accept her as your granddaughter or you lose your son, forever."

"Ranma, you have no right to make such demands, now you give it up, and spare this family any further disgrace!"

"Ya know, you're right." Ranma gets her pack on, anger pushing her through the pain in her arm, throws her cloak on, and head towards the door. "I won't let this family disgrace my honor anymore."

She grabs her staff and stops at the door, "As of right now, I am Ronin, and you woman, and that fat fuck of a husband of yours are the end of the Saotome family line. I hope your pathetic tradition was worth it!"

And Ranma leaves, not shutting the door, not shutting the gate, and not looking back. She wanted that woman to watch the future of her family walk away from the Saotome name.

Later that evening, Ranma has a small camp set up in a familiar empty lot, and a fire going. Tatsuko is sleeping quietly; Ranma is back to his male form, and eating some of his dragon jerky.

"Why did it have to turn out like this, I wanted her to have a home, and not live on my back like I did my father's." Ranma sits, staring at the fire, occasionally poking it with his staff.

"Why hello there."

Ranma looks up to see a beautiful young lady with long brown hair, and a smile that would turn any guy's legs to jello. "Uh, hi."

"You must be new around here; I've never seen anyone camping here before."

"Yeah, you could say that." Ranma goes back to poking the fire.

"Oh, what an adorable baby."

"Yeah isn't she. She's all I got now." Ranma looks to his daughter, unable to hide his solemn feelings.

"Do you not have a home, or family?" She looks genuinely worried for him.

"Not anymore, my mother made me chose between my family name and my daughter, because I adopted her."

"That's so sad; you really love your little girl, don't you?"

"Yes, I would do anything for her."

"Why don't you stay at my house for the night, its not far. I'd hate to see such a beautiful little girl get sick from this night chill."

"I couldn't, I don't want to intrude, what about your family."

"Please, I insist, you'd be my guest. My father and sisters won't mind, beside doesn't a fresh meal, hot bath, and warm bed sound like the perfect change in pace?"

Looking down at Tatsuko, "I really don't know what to say."

"How about your name, I'm Kasumi, Kasumi Tendo."

"Thank you Kasumi, I'm Ranma, just Ranma."

After Words:

In the time I wrote this I ate a whole 16oz. jar of Peperoncinis. YUM

Well, I was wrong again, so I went back and reviewed Ranma's encounters with Shampoo, and I believe I have adapted the situation to adhere more closely to Amazon Law.

Sorry for the mass dialog section, but mother and son did have a long talk, and I didn't want to abuse repetitive descriptors. (The few that I could use)

Yep, some of you hate me right now, but I had to go one of 2 ways with Nodoka, and I chose the one that best fits the strict Japanese traditionalist. Hate me if you must.

I know some of you want me to do this in past-tense, but the truth is; I suck at past tense, couldn't get it right if my life depends on it. Try to look at it like a third party, a psychic fly-on-the-wall, watching the events as they unfold, instead of a story being told. I do understand where you are coming from, but I know it will lose too much feeling and quality of I try to do past-tense, so please bear with me.

Yeah, I know. Hild? Yes it's her, no she's not the demon queen. This is my version of a cameo; I take name, appearance, and a bit of personality, and adapt them to my story. Mainly for flavor text, but it does spice things up, and no this does not obligate any future appearances or other characters from the same series. Plan on seeing more, unless you all think it's too damaging to the story. But again, it's just flavor text, and none of them will have any real impact on story events.


	5. Open Arms

Ranma ½ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, not me

Ranma ½ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, not me. I am making no profit from this work of fanfiction, only mental relief, and personal satisfaction. Any other characters I use belong to their respective owners, except Tatsuko, she's mine.

Authors Notes:

I love you guys, over 100 reviews in the first 4 days, WOW.

Well, I have one little thing I could use some help with, I need suggestions for a name for the other child.

I'm glad you approve of my approach to a strictly traditional Japanese family, and their reaction to a child of foreign blood.

Now it is true that Tatsuko isn't a "bastard child" but she is not Ranma's, nor is she Japanese. I have heard of an adopted child of foreign blood referred to this way. Plus I chose this route to fuel Ranma's reactions.

And about the things Ranma made from Krynn's remains, they are made of the highest quality materials, but not the highest quality work, that will show later. And Krynn offered herself as sustenance for Tatsuko because Ranma would have nothing else to feed her. (Season 7 episode 23, "Dragon" could be considered much more than a delicacy, possessing an almost supernatural nutritional value, prolonging life spans drastically. I'm sorry if you disagree with that, but it did make things interesting.)

**(Syk): **"He as male, not she as in female" I don't understand what error you are referring to. I use male references when Ranma is in his male form and female references when he is in his female form. I hope this clarifies any confusion, if not then please clarify your statement of my error.

**Matron Draconus**

Chapter 05

"Please, come in Ranma. Make yourself at home. I'll have some nice hot tea ready in a few minutes." Kasumi welcomes the weary traveler into her home, motioning towards the dinning area.

Ranma hesitantly enters the Tendo home, removing his shoes at the door. He follows her around the corner to the family room.

After carefully setting down his massive pack, he moves to the dinning area, trying to ignore the pain coming from his still slung arm. Ranma stops when he notices the middle-aged man sitting out on the engawa, staring intently at a Shogi board. He waits, hoping Kasumi will start the introductions.

Kasumi stops near the door to the back yard, "Father, I've brought a guest; we met near the shopping district. I invited him to have dinner with us, and spend the night in the guest room. I just couldn't bear the thought of him and his baby girl camping out in this cold. His name is Ranma."

The Tendo patriarch bolts upright, "Ranma you say." He heads inside to greet his houseguest, praying that this is the Ranma he has been waiting so many years to meet. "Come son, please sit down and relax."

Ranma approaches the low table, and sits across from Soun, "Thanks for having me Mr. Tendo, your daughter is very nice, I've never had someone offer me a free meal and warm place to sleep before." Ranma undoes his cloak and lays it next to him, and begins to remove Tatsuko's pouch.

Tendo smiles beaming with pride, "That she is, I feel truly blessed to have such wonderful daughters. Now, you said your name is Ranma, you wouldn't happen to be Ranma Saotome?"

Ranma hangs his head low, knowing that the building blocks of a good friendship are about to crumble, "Not anymore."

"What do you mean, not anymore?" Fearing that his hopes and dreams are about to go up in smoke.

Ranma looks Soun in the eyes, with a face devoid of any emotion, "I am ronin Mr. Tendo, I renounced the Saotome family name." Soun's eyes widen, his visions of a happy retirement fading like a lost dream. He eyes the young man, mentally preparing his coming inquisition into why he would do something so dishonorable.

"I know that people don't like ronin. If ya want I'll leave right away, and I wouldn't blame ya either."

Kasumi finally enters carrying the prepared tea set, "That's not necessary Ranma, and please have some tea." She looks to the master of the household, "Right father, that's no reason to send him back out into the cold."

Tendo looks at his eldest, her caring expressing instantly washing away any trepidation he might have held. "Yes of course, please stay. You have to try Kasumi's tea, it's the greatest in all of Nerima."

Ranma relaxes, surprised by their outlook, and relieved that he's not taking Tatsuko back out into the night. "Thank you Kasumi, you're very kind, and Mr. Tendo, I'm grateful that you'll let me stay here tonight."

Tendo sips his tea, "That's quite alright Ranma, you've had a family dispute, the best thing for you now is good company. If you don't mind my asking, how did you end up ronin?"

"It's a very long story." Ranma takes a drink, "Wow, this tea is great Kasumi." The tea alone is enough to brighten his mood, even if just a little.

Kasumi stands and straightens her apron, "Why thank you Ranma." She turns to her father, "I'll be in the kitchen so you two can talk, and dinner will be ready in thirty minutes." With that said she turns and leaves, glancing back at Ranma for just a moment before disappearing into the kitchen.

"Well Mr. Tendo, the Saotome family doesn't allow a child of non-Japanese descent into the family register unless one of the parents is a Saotome by blood." Ranma cradles the baby girl higher and closer to his chest, and she starts to stir from her slumber. "And little Tatsuko here is adopted."

Soun looks a little puzzled, "Son, why would you adopt a child, you're still so young?"

"I was in China, and I found her mother being attacked by a group of tribal men. I fought them as my honor demanded, I fought to protect an innocent. There were seven, and I defeated all of 'em, but I was too late." Ranma lets out a heavy sigh and takes another drink, Tatsuko starts lightly fussing and squirming.

Soun settles back a bit, already feeling the pride in having met Ranma. "You fought seven warriors to protect an innocent woman, such is the way of a true martial artist, and you've done the school a great honor son."

"Well, I couldn't save her mother Krynn, she was hurt, bad. She said I honored her with my bravery, and asked me to take her only daughter as my own, and raise her to follow my code of honor. I vowed on my honor that I would raise her, and train her in my way of the warrior."

The Tendo Patriarch looks Ranma in the eyes with an air of sincerity that he hasn't felt in nearly ten long years. "Son, you've done the right thing, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Any true martial artist would have done the same."

"That's what I thought, but my mother said that my vow was a stain on the family honor, and she demanded I give her up for adoption."

Soun frowns deeply, emotionally disturbed that a mother could say such a thing to her own son. "That does sound like Nodoka, and the Saotome clan does follow very old and mostly forgotten traditions."

"It's not fair what she did to me, I had to choose between my family and my daughter. She's my baby, I love her, so I did the only thing I could. I walked away from my mother and the Saotome name. I chose Tatsuko and my honor over my own mother."

"Son, you make an old man swell with pride, I can tell you, as one father to another, I would have done the same, and so would every other man alive who loves his child. Ranma, you are a fine young man, and a good father, for as long as you need, you are welcome to stay in my home, as an honored guest."

Tatsuko's fussing gets louder and Ranma takes notice, "I think she's hungry again, I swear she eats more than I do, and people say I eat like a horse."

Soun lets out a hearty chuckle, "Such is the life of a growing child, better get used to it." And he continues to laugh, soon Ranma joins in, the tension having left the room, both men enjoying the good company.

Ranma straightens up, once again realizing he needs to feed his little girl, and knowing this is the kind of secret he can't keep from the man who's offering him a place to stay, "Well, I have another story to tell, but this one is a lot harder to believe unless I show you. Ya see, my idiot father got me cursed while we were in China." Ranma carefully stands, still cradling Tatsuko, knowing the fact that he has to feed her before he can relax and enjoy dinner.

"A curse, son what do you mean by that?" Soun inquires, eyeing the young man as he walks into the kitchen.

Ranma enters the kitchen, "Kasumi, can you please hold her for a minute? I don't wanna get her wet."

Kasumi takes the hungry, fussing baby, and holds her close, "Of course Ranma." Humming a soft tune and cooing the crying child, she slowly makes her way out of the kitchen.

Soun is lost in thought after seeing the change in Kasumi's already peaceful demeanor. 'Oh Kasumi, seeing you like that reminds me so much of your late mother. I know that you'll one day make an excellent mother.' It takes all the willpower he can muster to hold back the waterworks, not wanting to make a scene in front of his guest.

After filling a glass at the sink, Ranma reenters the dinning area, "Well, the curse I got makes me change form."

At that moment the youngest Tendo, Akane, comes in through the front door, and the middle Tendo, Nabiki, descends the stairs into the family room. "Oh good, Akane, Nabiki, this is Ranma. Ranma these are my younger sisters, Nabiki, and Akane. Ranma will be staying with us for a while, as an honored guest in our home."

000000000000

A while later in the furo, after washing herself and her baby, Ranma settles into the tub, activating both curse reversals. "Wow, you've grown a lot. I guess I didn't notice in your human form, but like this you've gotta be almost a foot longer already." Ranma relaxes for a short while longer, enjoying a moment of true peace, with the little dragon lying on his chest, staring intently at his face. 'Well, I guess this could have gone a lot worse, only one of them reacted badly, and even then Mr. Tendo had a talk with her about being "rude to his house guest." So I think things should be fine here for a little while.'

000000000000

Meanwhile in the kitchen, Kasumi and Akane are busy doing the dishes, and talking about their new house guest. "Really Akane, father is right, you were very rude to a guest in our home." Kasumi's light scolding is enough to make Akane feel like a little girl in trouble.

"I guess I was just surprised to see a boy in our home. And when he changed, that was really weird and all I could think was 'pervert'."

"I know you have troubles at school, but please don't bring them home. Ranma's had a very rough time, and Father believes him to be an honorable man. And he's shown that he is a good father that loves his baby dearly."

"Yeah, I noticed that, I guess he's not like the other boys at school. And his little girl is the cutest baby I've ever seen. Sis, did you notice how her eyes match his perfectly, makes it hard to believe that she's adopted."

"Yes, I noticed that too, and her blue hair is absolutely beautiful, it's wonderful that that is her natural color."

000000000000

Later that evening the entire household is gathered in the family room and Soun has something important to talk with his family, and Ranma about. "Girls, and Ranma, I need tell you all about something that weighs heavy on my heart."

"Father?" Kasumi looks concerned for her father, not having seen this serious demeanor in many years.

"Well, as you may or may not know, the Tendo and Saotome families are the only practitioners of the Anything-Goes style."

"Wow, really Mr. Tendo? My pops never told me anything like that."

"Yes, and back before all of you were born me and my late wife, along with Mr. and Mrs. Saotome had many a long discussion about unifying the Anything-Goes style through marriage."

"Daddy, are you telling us that way back whenever you made plans to marry one of us to Ranma here?"

"It was all of our hopes that one day the two families would be joined, and the Anything-Goes legacy would be secure for generations to come. It was also your mother's parting wish that I support you girls on whatever decisions you made for your own futures, which is why I've brought this subject up tonight."

"Um, Mr. Tendo, there is one problem with all this, besides deciding who we'd marry for us, I'm not a Saotome anymore." Ranma was doing his best to contain the animosity, not wanting to make drama in his host's home.

"Yeah Daddy, why would any of us want to marry Ranma anyway?" Akane was miffed, if it was any other boy she would have already clobbered him, but this one has a little girl, and she couldn't bring herself to do anything that could possibly hurt the baby.

Ranma slumped his shoulder, he should have known girls would look at him that way, "She's got a point, I mean, I don't think any of your daughters would wanna marry a freak like me."

"Ranma, you're not a freak, and none of us here think of you as one, please don't think so lowly of yourself. You've stated that it's a curse, the way I see it, that has no effect on what kind of man you are. It actually has given you some advantages in being a single parent." Here's Kasumi being her usual overly nice self, honestly she could make someone feel good about having a second head, simply with the way she talks.

"Ranma, that's not what I meant…."

"Oh"

"What I meant was why would any of us want to get married to someone we've known for a grand total of three hours."

"Girls, I would be asking you to just up and get married, I simply told you all this so you'd know what wishes your parents have, and to give things a chance." Soun looks directly to Ranma, "And about that Ranma, I'd like to try to talk to Nodoka about seeing the error in her old ways, and realize what she did to her son."

"So I can get my family name back and marry one of your daughters…." The disgust was obvious in Ranma's tone.

"Son, I'll admit that nothing in this world would make me happier that so see the families united, but that is only a part of my motivation to help you." Ranma looks at Mr. Tendo slightly puzzled, what else could motivate Soun to want to help him. "My other reason is the fact that is simply breaks this old man's heart to see such a good young man at odds with his own mother, you deserve better that what she did to you, and I'd like to help open her eyes to how badly she messed up."

"Father, that so sweet that you'd to that length to help Ranma."

"Yeah Mr. Tendo, I really don't know what to say, I mean you're already giving me a place to stay, I could never ask for more. But if you could convince my mother she was wrong, then I guess I'd give her a chance to 'pologize, and make things right. But only if she's gonna accept Tatsuko as her Granddaughter, not just someone that she's 'putting up with' to have her son back."

"I fully agree with you there son. And in the end, if she won't rescind her foolish decision then there is no heir to the Saotome legacy, and our family honor agreement would be null and void. If that situation does in fact come about, then I'd be honored to add you to the Tendo family register, as my adopted son, that is, if you would like that."

"Dad?" Akane was simply stunned that her father would do that for this boy, he had only just met him after all.

"Wow, I don't know what to say Mr. Tendo."

"Ranma, you've shown this old man a lot in the few hours you've been here, a lot that I used to see in myself, that has long since gone away. I'd be truly honored to have you as a member of the family, through marriage or otherwise."

000000000000

In an oddly familiar throne room, Ranma bears witness to two identical girls, roughly her age, with a unique color of cerulean blue hair, being beaten and violated by a partially over dressed man wearing a crown.

The girls look straight to Ranma, and reaches out to him, "Papa, help me."

"It hurts so much Papa!" The second girl finishes just before being dragged back into submission by their aggressor.

Ranma snaps, realizing what he's watching, again. "No. Tatsuko!"

Ranma jumps up, franticly looking around in the dark, finally realizing where he is, "The Tendo's…." He then looks down to Tatsuko's sleeping form, "So innocent, I swear little one, I'll never let that man touch you." 'But there were two of you, I don't understand, but I have a very bad feeling about this.'

000000000000

Later the next morning, Ranma and Kasumi are walking down the streets of Nerima at a leisurely pace, "So he's your family doctor?"

"Oh yes, he's a nice man, Dr. Tofu's been our family doctor for a while now, you'll like him."

"Hope so, but you said Tatsuko's checkup is important, so whatever I have to do, I'm gonna do."

Moments later the two enter the small clinic of one Ono Tofu, the couple of patrons currently waiting quickly clear the building, mumbling something about health hazards on their way out, this doesn't sit well with Ranma.

"Doctor Tofu, are you in?" Kasumi calls out from the waiting room.

"Be right out." A voice replies from somewhere out of view, seconds later the young doctor emerges from the hallway, his glasses immediately fogging over, and turning stiff as a board. "Ka-Ka-Kasumi, fancy meeting you here of all places."

"Oh doctor, quit being silly, I've brought a friend of the family, and his baby in for a checkup." Kasumi gives her usual angelic smile, causing even more of the doctor's brain to turn to mush.

"Well young man, what seems to be the problem…." Tofu sticks both arms straight out, resembling the walking dead, brain dead at least, and reaches for the infant.

"Doctor Tofu! Pleas be careful, she's just an infant." Concern flashing her face for just a moment before returning her trademark smile.

Tofu's higher brain functions begin their force restart right about now, "Infant?" His glasses clear up and he sees that there is in fact an infant child there, within his grasp.

Ranma, not liking the strange actions of the weird doctor, slowly backs away from him, fearing for his little girl's safety. "Doc, are you alright?"

'Oh dear, I could have done something truly horrible just now, come on Tofu get your head out of the clouds and help this young man and his baby dragon. Wait…. dragon?' "That's a might special little girl you have there……"

"Ranma." Oh boy, can he actually tell what she is, just by looking at her, or did he know I was coming….

"Well, Ranma, that's a pretty crude sling you got your arm in, why don't you have Ka-Kasumi hold you little one, while I check out you arm, then we can get to your baby's checkup, sound good?"

"Uh, sure thing Doc," guess he's alright now, but that was weird a minute ago. "Here you go Kasumi." As he passes Tatsuko over to her.

A few minutes later, Ranma returns, his arm no longer slung, "Well Ranma, I must say you have a remarkable rate of healing, for having broken it little more than a week ago you're almost completely healed. You have full mobility back, but you should talk it easy on that arm for at least another week, that means no fighting, and no heavy lifting, okay."

"Gotcha Doc."

"Now lets have a look at that adorable little girl of yours, now Ranma, this part is important, I need to examine both of her forms, is that okay?"

"Uh..." 'Crap, how does he, oh well, I was gonna have to tell them soon anyway, I guess Kasumi is the best one to start with, and apparently the doc already knows.'

Kasumi just cocks her head to the side a little, the effect is almost mind numbing on the doctor, but he manages to maintain his self control. "Both forms? Ranma, is Tatsuko cursed like you are?"

A minute later in the examination room, Ranma has Tatsuko lying on her tummy on the exam bed, and has just finished changing her diaper. "Tatsuko does have a Jusenkyo curse like I do, but what you're used to seeing is actually her cursed form. And this is her true form." He then gently wipes down her back with a warm, wet sponge, triggering the transformation. Tatsuko smoothly grows into a small cerulean blue, three foot long dragon, which immediately jumps onto and snuggles into Ranma's chest.

"Oh my………. What a cute little dragon."

After Words:

I'm sorry this one took so long, but I'm in the middle of an early-mid-life crisis right now. Just got laid off, I'm losing my home, and my car broke down. So, much to my displeasure, I'm temporarily staying with my pops, till I can work things out. I'll update when I can, but I find myself with very little time to think about my stories.

I'm also not decided on any pairings yet, but I'll listen to any suggestions you all may have.

I also have ideas for 3 other fics, but I'm not sure if I should try to work on multiple fics at once, or just try to forget the others.

Nightmare Waltz: Another Ranma fic, no crossover, post wedding incident.

Zero Point: A Ranma Sci-Fi multi crossover fic, also post wedding incident.

My Honor, My Weapon: A Ranma Sci-Fi fic, mild crossover, post wedding.


End file.
